The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-06-13

~ do not know that had smiled
before since his father died. but when
heard him say our road in that
little proud tone he had, caught him
to my heart, and we laughed and cried
together.
land 'Ispoke to Mr.. Withers about
it only yesterday he went on, and
he said Tom Gray is going to leave,
and can have his chance and begin
next week. If like. What do yousay,
dear mother?'
"'Oh Jackl' / said, how can get
through the long lonesome days with
out you? And il anything should hap.
pen to you / should die
Don't mother' he said, gently, for
the tears were in my eyes again. But
! would not heed him.
"And you to give up your SCHOOL,
] cried: 'and all our plans for you to
come to naughtP
"Father thought OF that, too he
answered; but he said that the whole
world belonged to the man that was
faithful and true; and promised him.
You can trust me mother?'
"Trust him? ALI. yes. he had struck
the right chord at last, and lifted my
head and dried my tears. Whatever
unseen dangers ! might fear for my
boy would be OF the body, not for the
soul. Faithful and truel' l thanked
God and took courage.
at was wonderful how he succeeded
with the books and rapers and other
things he sold. There was something
in him that made him favorite with
everybody. Ihave been told by more
than one that the sight OF his frank,
handsome face was like sunshine. and
that people bought OF him whether
they wanted anything or not.
"Well, the years went by, and he
grew up-working his way from one
position to another on the road
trusted everywhere. He was my own
boy still, though he was so tall and
strong, with his bright curls turned
chestnut brown, and a silken fringe
shading the lips that kept their old
loving kisses for me alone.
at was not long before he had the
place OF engineer, which he had want
ed so long. He had day off and was
doing some little things for me about
the house and garden, when one OF the
depot hands came running up the
path calling for him.
"'Mr. Harding wants you instantly,
Jack?' cried the man. The Jersey ex.
press should have lett the depot five
minutes ago, and the engineer has just
fallen down in q fit. Curtis and Fitch
are both oil on leave, and Mr.. Hard
ing says there's nobody left but you
that he'll trust with the train
"1' cried Jack, in q maze. THE
Jersey expressl And l never drove
anything but freight train
Well cried the man impatiently,
don't stop to arguel Orders is orders,
and here is minute and half gone
already
"Jack seemed to come to himself at
that. He darted one smile at me,
and was off like shot, drawing on
his coat as he ran. In less time than
take in telling it ] heard the signal
OF the outgowing train, and knew
that my boy was trusted with task
that was used to be given only to the
most intelligent and careful men in
the service.
"They brought him back to me
that night. sir, and laid him on his
fathers bed; and, by piece-meal, and
then afterwards, learned what had
happened that day.
"The train had started out so late,
they were forced to make up time
somewhere on the line. So, on that
long, straighty tretch oftrack through
the valley, they were making sixty
miles an hour. The train fairly flew.
Jack could feel the air strike his face
like sharp wind, though it was a
balmy spring day.
"Then an awful thing happened!
The great connecting rod OF the driv-
ing-wheel on the right OF the engine
broke. Jack seemed to live all his life
over in that one terrible instant when
he saw the end OF the rod swing up
ward. 1t struck the cab under him
and dashed it into thousand pieces,
and he knew no more till O horrible
agony awoke him where he had fallen
senseless on the engine.
Burned and almost blind, with the
flesh scalded and torn from his hands,
he remembered his engine, with its
open throttle leaping on to certain
destruction. He seemed to see the
passengers inside the long train, as so
many times in the old days when he
called the morning papers through the
cars.
"He knew how they looked and
what they were doing, smoking, talk.
ing OF the elections, the price OF grain
or how stock went up last week; WON.
.l......1.l LnAin. IL,